45 Squadron 'The Flying Camels', RAF
Motto: Per ardua surgo - Through difficulties I arise
Nickname: The Flying Camels
Formed during World War I at Gosport on 1st. March 1916 as part of the Royal Flying Corp (RFC), 45 Sqn. was first equipped with the Sopwith 1½ Strutter which it was to fly in the scout role. Deployed to France in October of that year, the squadron found itself suffering heavy losses due to the quality of its aircraft. This did not change until it transitioned to the Sopwith Camel in July 1917. Transferred to the Austro-Italian front at the end of 1917, 45 Sqn. there engaged in ground attack and offensive patrols until September 1918 when it returned to France and joined the newly formed Royal Air Force. During the course of the war some thirty flying aces had served with the squadron.
The squadron returned to England in February 1919 and disbanded in December 1919. In April 1921 it reformed at Helwan, Egypt. Assigned Vickers Vernon bomber-transports, the unit provided troop transportation and ground support and mail services throughout the Middle East, notably in support of anti-rebel operations in Iraq and the Palestine. The unit transitioned to the DH 9A in 1927, to the Fairey III in 1929 and to the Fairey Gordon in 1935. At some point the unit adopted the nickname 'The Flying Camels'. The squadron badge is a winged camel, approved by King Edward VIII in October 1936. The badge and nickname derive from the Sopwith Camel used by the squadron in World War I and its long service in the Middle East.
At the start of World War II, 45 Sqn. converted to the Bristol Blenheim. From mid-1940 it took part in the North African Campaign and on 11th. June was one of three squadrons that participated in the Allies' first attack on the Regia Aeronautica (Italian air force) base at El Adem. 18 Italian aircraft were destroyed or damaged on the ground, for the loss of three British aircraft. The following day, the squadron participated in an attack on shipping at Tobruk, damaging the Italian cruiser San Giorgio.
During late 1940 the squadron supported Allied ground forces in the East African Campaign, while based at Gura, in Eritrea. During its time at Gura, the squadron suffered losses. On 2nd. October two Blenheims were shot down by an Italian ace, sergeant-major Luigi "Gino" Baron. Among the aircrew killed was 45 Sqn. CO, Sqn. Ldr. John Dallamore. His successor was acting Sqn. Ldr. Patrick Troughton-Smith.
In June 1941 to August 1941 the squadron was based at RAF Aqir in Palestine where it was involved in operations against the Vichy French in Lebanon and during an attack on Beirut on 10th. July three aircraft were shot down in flames by Vichy French D-520 fighters. The crew of one were ordered to bail out but only the pilot, Sgt. Wilton-Jones, survived although badly burned and hospitalized in Tripoli, Lebanon. The mission was a success as a ceasefire was declared at one minute past midnight on 12th. July and the allies took over the hospital on 16th July.
From mid-1942 the unit was deployed to Burma and India, for service against the Japanese. Three aircraft from the Squadron participated in the first Allied bombing raid against Bangkok, Thailand.
After World War II, 45 Sqn. served in the Malayan Emergency, flying out of RAF Tengah, Singapore. There the squadron engaged in ground attacks against pro-independence guerrillas belonging to the Malayan National Liberation Army, the armed wing of the Malayan Communist Party. Dubbed 'Operation Firedog', these operations lasted for 12 years until the successful conclusion of the war. The unit also engaged in operations to quell unrest on the Sarawak coast in British North Borneo during this time period. While operating in Malaya the unit initially flew the Bristol Beaufighter. From 1955 the squadron was based at RAF Butterworth in Malaya flying the de Havilland Venom under the command of Sqn. Ldr. Geoffrey Cooper.
After re-equipping with the English Electric Canberra B.15 in 1962, the squadron became involved in the Brunei Revolution and the subsequent confrontation with Indonesia until its resolution in 1966. The squadron disbanded on 13th. January 1970 after the UK's withdrawal from east of Suez.
On 1st. August 1972, the squadron was reformed at RAF West Raynham, equipped with the Hawker Hunter FGA.9, as a ground-attack training unit. The squadron disbanded in July 1976 at RAF Wittering after this role was taken over by the Tactical Weapons Unit (TWU)
In January 1984, the squadron number, 45 (Reserve) Sqn. was assigned to the Tornado Weapons Conversion Unit (TWCU) at RAF Honington. As a 'Shadow Squadron' or war reserve, the squadron's war role was as a fully operational unit composed mainly of instructors, and assigned strike and other duties by Supreme Air Command Europe (SACEUR) in support of land forces on the Continent resisting a Soviet assault on Western Europe, by striking at targets assigned by SACEUR, beyond the forward edge of the battlefield, deep within enemy held areas, first with conventional weapons and later with tactical nuclear weapons if a conflict escalated to that level. The squadron's 26 Tornado aircraft were allocated 39 WE.177 nuclear bombs.
On 1st. April 1992, the squadron was disbanded and TWCU title dropped, with its aircraft and personnel becoming 15 (Reserve) Sqn. whilst maintaining the same training role
On 1st. July 1992, the 45(R) Sqn. identity was resurrected and adopted by the Multi-Engined Training Squadron (METS) at 6 FTS, RAF Finningley. In October 1995 45(R) Sqn. moved to RAF Cranwell, and in 2003, replaced its BAe Jetstream T.1 aircraft with the Beechcraft B200 King Air serviced by Serco. In 2018, the squadron converted to the Embraer Phenom T.1 jet. The squadron continues to operate from RAF Cranwell in the multi-engine pilot training and weapons systems operator training roles.
Squadron Battle Honours.
Western Front (1916–1917)*
Somme (1916)
Ypres (1917)
Italian Front and Adriatic (1917–1918)
Piave
Independent Force and Germany (1918)*
Kurdistan (1922–1924)
Iraq (1923–1925)
Egypt and Libya (1940–1942)*
East Africa (1940)*
Syria (1941)
Burma (1942)*
Arakan (1943–1944)*
Burma (1944–1945)*
* Honours marked with an asterisk are those emblazoned on the Squadron Standard.
The squadron badge is seen on the BAe Jetstream T.1, XX 492 on display at the Newark Air Museum.
45 Squadron 'The Flying Camels', RAF
Motto: Per ardua surgo - Through difficulties I arise
Nickname: The Flying Camels
Formed during World War I at Gosport on 1st. March 1916 as part of the Royal Flying Corp (RFC), 45 Sqn. was first equipped with the Sopwith 1½ Strutter which it was to fly in the scout role. Deployed to France in October of that year, the squadron found itself suffering heavy losses due to the quality of its aircraft. This did not change until it transitioned to the Sopwith Camel in July 1917. Transferred to the Austro-Italian front at the end of 1917, 45 Sqn. there engaged in ground attack and offensive patrols until September 1918 when it returned to France and joined the newly formed Royal Air Force. During the course of the war some thirty flying aces had served with the squadron.
The squadron returned to England in February 1919 and disbanded in December 1919. In April 1921 it reformed at Helwan, Egypt. Assigned Vickers Vernon bomber-transports, the unit provided troop transportation and ground support and mail services throughout the Middle East, notably in support of anti-rebel operations in Iraq and the Palestine. The unit transitioned to the DH 9A in 1927, to the Fairey III in 1929 and to the Fairey Gordon in 1935. At some point the unit adopted the nickname 'The Flying Camels'. The squadron badge is a winged camel, approved by King Edward VIII in October 1936. The badge and nickname derive from the Sopwith Camel used by the squadron in World War I and its long service in the Middle East.
At the start of World War II, 45 Sqn. converted to the Bristol Blenheim. From mid-1940 it took part in the North African Campaign and on 11th. June was one of three squadrons that participated in the Allies' first attack on the Regia Aeronautica (Italian air force) base at El Adem. 18 Italian aircraft were destroyed or damaged on the ground, for the loss of three British aircraft. The following day, the squadron participated in an attack on shipping at Tobruk, damaging the Italian cruiser San Giorgio.
During late 1940 the squadron supported Allied ground forces in the East African Campaign, while based at Gura, in Eritrea. During its time at Gura, the squadron suffered losses. On 2nd. October two Blenheims were shot down by an Italian ace, sergeant-major Luigi "Gino" Baron. Among the aircrew killed was 45 Sqn. CO, Sqn. Ldr. John Dallamore. His successor was acting Sqn. Ldr. Patrick Troughton-Smith.
In June 1941 to August 1941 the squadron was based at RAF Aqir in Palestine where it was involved in operations against the Vichy French in Lebanon and during an attack on Beirut on 10th. July three aircraft were shot down in flames by Vichy French D-520 fighters. The crew of one were ordered to bail out but only the pilot, Sgt. Wilton-Jones, survived although badly burned and hospitalized in Tripoli, Lebanon. The mission was a success as a ceasefire was declared at one minute past midnight on 12th. July and the allies took over the hospital on 16th July.
From mid-1942 the unit was deployed to Burma and India, for service against the Japanese. Three aircraft from the Squadron participated in the first Allied bombing raid against Bangkok, Thailand.
After World War II, 45 Sqn. served in the Malayan Emergency, flying out of RAF Tengah, Singapore. There the squadron engaged in ground attacks against pro-independence guerrillas belonging to the Malayan National Liberation Army, the armed wing of the Malayan Communist Party. Dubbed 'Operation Firedog', these operations lasted for 12 years until the successful conclusion of the war. The unit also engaged in operations to quell unrest on the Sarawak coast in British North Borneo during this time period. While operating in Malaya the unit initially flew the Bristol Beaufighter. From 1955 the squadron was based at RAF Butterworth in Malaya flying the de Havilland Venom under the command of Sqn. Ldr. Geoffrey Cooper.
After re-equipping with the English Electric Canberra B.15 in 1962, the squadron became involved in the Brunei Revolution and the subsequent confrontation with Indonesia until its resolution in 1966. The squadron disbanded on 13th. January 1970 after the UK's withdrawal from east of Suez.
On 1st. August 1972, the squadron was reformed at RAF West Raynham, equipped with the Hawker Hunter FGA.9, as a ground-attack training unit. The squadron disbanded in July 1976 at RAF Wittering after this role was taken over by the Tactical Weapons Unit (TWU)
In January 1984, the squadron number, 45 (Reserve) Sqn. was assigned to the Tornado Weapons Conversion Unit (TWCU) at RAF Honington. As a 'Shadow Squadron' or war reserve, the squadron's war role was as a fully operational unit composed mainly of instructors, and assigned strike and other duties by Supreme Air Command Europe (SACEUR) in support of land forces on the Continent resisting a Soviet assault on Western Europe, by striking at targets assigned by SACEUR, beyond the forward edge of the battlefield, deep within enemy held areas, first with conventional weapons and later with tactical nuclear weapons if a conflict escalated to that level. The squadron's 26 Tornado aircraft were allocated 39 WE.177 nuclear bombs.
On 1st. April 1992, the squadron was disbanded and TWCU title dropped, with its aircraft and personnel becoming 15 (Reserve) Sqn. whilst maintaining the same training role
On 1st. July 1992, the 45(R) Sqn. identity was resurrected and adopted by the Multi-Engined Training Squadron (METS) at 6 FTS, RAF Finningley. In October 1995 45(R) Sqn. moved to RAF Cranwell, and in 2003, replaced its BAe Jetstream T.1 aircraft with the Beechcraft B200 King Air serviced by Serco. In 2018, the squadron converted to the Embraer Phenom T.1 jet. The squadron continues to operate from RAF Cranwell in the multi-engine pilot training and weapons systems operator training roles.
Squadron Battle Honours.
Western Front (1916–1917)*
Somme (1916)
Ypres (1917)
Italian Front and Adriatic (1917–1918)
Piave
Independent Force and Germany (1918)*
Kurdistan (1922–1924)
Iraq (1923–1925)
Egypt and Libya (1940–1942)*
East Africa (1940)*
Syria (1941)
Burma (1942)*
Arakan (1943–1944)*
Burma (1944–1945)*
* Honours marked with an asterisk are those emblazoned on the Squadron Standard.
The squadron badge is seen on the BAe Jetstream T.1, XX 492 on display at the Newark Air Museum.